ZICTA 2024 Report: Mobile Subscriptions Soar, Digital Economy Expands
Zambia’s ICT sector thrives with mobile, internet, and mobile money growth, AI initiatives, cybersecurity advancements, and infrastructure expansion despite economic challenges.
The Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA ) has published its 2024 Annual Market Report, highlighting significant progress and resilience in the ICT and Postal sector.
According to the report, the number of active mobile cellular subscriptions increased significantly by 9.5% from 21.1 million in 2023 to 23.2 million in 2024. Internet subscriptions similarly grew by 7%, rising from 12.6 million to 13.5 million. This increase was accompanied by greater adoption of digital financial services, with mobile money transaction volumes rising by 33%, while transaction values grew by 8%.
Although the affordability of ICT services was moderately impacted by rising operational costs due to increased load shedding, depreciation of the exchange rate and inflation, total revenue for Mobile Network Operators (MNOS) grew remarkably by 21%, reaching ZMW 11.5 billion in 2024.
The report highlights some notable initiatives by the Government aimed at expanding digital access. These included the launch of public free Wi-Fi services in selected cities under the ZamFree Initiative and the introduction of Zambia’s National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, designed to foster safe Al technology adoption.
Furthermore, the partnership between the government and Google resulted in the establishment of an Al Centre of Excellence at the University of Zambia (UNZA) aimed at enhancing digital skills and innovation.
The country also witnessed a notable improvement in the cybersecurity posture with the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) score rising to 92.6%, well above the global average of 65.7%. Increased infrastructure investment was evident through a growth in telecommunication towers from 3,568 to 3,626, and telecommunication sites increased by 10% from 13,125 to 14,519. This infrastructure expansion has increasingly improved connectivity and further supported increased digital adoption.
The postal and courier industry also showed significant growth, with licenses increasing by 19%, reaching 123 valid operators due to rising demand for the postal and courier services as well as reduced licensing fees. Most players in the postal industry also demonstrated strong performance in both domestic and international parcel volumes.
Looking ahead, the outlook for the ICT sector remains optimistic, supported by continued infrastructure investment, government digital transformation initiatives and expected improvements in economic conditions. The number of mobile cellular subscriptions is projected to grow to approximately 24.5 million by the end of 2025. The full 2024 Annual Market Report is available on ZICTA website for public access.
